Fishermen of Pudukottai district launched an indefinite strike here on Friday in support of their three-point charter of demands, mainly pertaining to higher subsidy for diesel.
They also demanded disbursement of arrears of diesel subsidy due to fishermen for the past few years in parts of the district.
The Jegadapattinam Fishermen Welfare Association, at its meeting held on Thursday, adopted a resolution urging the state government to disburse the arrear subsidy towards the annual diesel consumption of 15,000 litres to all the fishermen. G. Ramakrishnan, president of the Association, said that although the subsidy had been released in parts of the State, it was yet to be sanctioned to a number of coastal districts for the past three years.
Another resolution urged the Central and State government to restore the release of subsidy to all the fishermen without any economic criterion. According to the latest government order, only fishermen belonging to economically weaker sections would be eligible for the diesel subsidy with effect from 2009. “None of the fisherman benefits through the order,” he said adding that the government should revoke the order.
About 750 mechanised boats were idling in coastal villages in the district. Fishermen of Ramanathapuram and Thanjavur districts have also joined the indefinite strike, he added.
